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CARING FOR CREATION
TOGETHER
Emma Major
www.ionabooks.com
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Copyright © 2022 Emma Major First published 2022 by Wild Goose Publications, Suite 9, Fairfield, 1048 Govan Road, Glasgow G51 4XS, Scotland the publishing division of the Iona Community. Scottish Charity No. SC003794. Limited Company Reg. No. SC096243. ISBN 978-1-80432-000-6 The publishers gratefully acknowledge the support of the Drummond Trust, 3 Pitt Terrace, Stirling FK8 2EY in producing this book. All rights reserved. Apart from the circumstances described below relating to non-commercial use, no part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, including photocopying or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Non-commercial use: The material in this book may be used non-commercially for group work without written permission from the publisher. Please make full acknowledgement of the source, together with mention of our website – www.ionabooks.com – and report usage to the CLA or other copyright organisation where approprate. Commercial or online use: For any commercial or online use of the contents of this book, permission must be obtained in writing from Wild Goose Publications via PLSclear.com Emma Major has asserted her right in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work. Overseas distribution: Australia: Willow Connection Pty Ltd, Unit 4A, 1/13 Kell Mather Drive, Lennox Head NSW 2478 New Zealand: Pleroma, Higginson Street, Otane 4170, Central Hawkes Bay Printed by Ashford Colour Press, Gosport, UK
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CARING FOR CREATION
TOGETHER Emma Major
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Introduction This set of 40 paintings and poems was created during Lent 2021. Each morning I spent time with God: reading the Bible, praying, pondering and painting. I didn’t have an aim in mind. I didn’t expect to ‘produce’ anything. I just sought the peace that painting and praying brings me. Every day I found myself coming back to the impact of climate change on the planet, issues of climate justice on the most vulnerable in our world and the impending climate emergency. The paintings each emerged differently. Sometimes I would be inspired by colour, sometimes by shapes or marks. Sometimes the haiku would come first and inspire the painting. Usually the painting would ‘show’ me something which inspired the poem, such as a fish choking on rubbish, a penguin, a crocodile, icebergs melting, or figures in prayer. I didn’t set out to create a series. I didn’t even realise my daily creativity had become a series until I sat and looked through my paintings and poems at Easter. Only then, on Easter Day, was it obvious to me that God had inspired this creative response to the climate emergency. Only then did I realise that these could be used to raise more awareness of climate justice. Over the next few weeks I asked a few trusted friends what they thought of the paintings and poems and how they might be useful. A series of ideas rapidly emerged from these conversations, and in the past six months the set has become: an exhibition at St Nicolas Church, Earley; a digital installation in Reading Minster Church of St Mary the Virgin launching the Young Christian Climate Network residency
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as part of their Relay to COP26; a set of cards to inspire prayer, share with others or even send to politicians asking them to take action on climate justice issues; an exhibition as part of the Great Big Green Week, 2021. And as I write this, the original set of paintings and poems is being prepared to travel to Glasgow to go on display at COP26, hosted by, and raising money for, Tearfund. My hope is that these paintings and poems might help people to engage with the reality of climate change in a way they haven’t before. Maybe the set about animals will move someone to reduce their individual impact on the planet. Maybe the set about the need to work together will inspire someone to join an action group or make a change in their place of work. Maybe the paintings and poems will help people to pray, or create, or be chosen by a book group, or used in a church service, or in a Lenten discipline, or given as a gift … I don’t know. I just trust that since God gave them to me in my prayer time that they must be meant to make a difference somehow. Emma Major
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Climate Change: A Reality
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The UN has declared a climate emergency. There is still time to act – but it must happen immediately. This first set of paintings and poems raises some of the realities of climate change and challenges us to think about how we can all make a difference. Creator God, inspire nations, organisations and individuals to implement the changes needed to halt climate change.
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A lot of hot air Around climate change issues Whilst the ice caps melt
Countries, businesses, charities and churches around the world have been ‘declaring a climate emergency’. The words are good; but an emergency needs more than words – it needs action. In November 2021, COP26 brought together members of governments from across the world to make plans to deal with the climate emergency. PostCOP26, let’s keep asking those in power to act quickly.
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No diversity Farming too intensively Future scarcity
Whenever I speak about this painting, I call it ‘Sad planet’. It may look alive and well, with several shades of green and shots of yellow, perhaps a field of corn; but let’s ask ourselves what’s missing. Where are the field poppies, marigolds and colourful hedgerows teeming with life? What does this painting say to you? How does it make you feel?
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Wide-ranging species Any possibility Of diversity
If the previous painting was a sad planet, then this is a happy planet. When areas of habitat are allowed to rewild then they become much more diverse in the species of plants and animals found there – full of colour and movement. Life. Diversity is essential for the natural balance of the earth. How could you help to diversify your part of the world?
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Swimming in circles Repeating the same mistakes Will we ever learn?
Round and round and round they go, trying to look conscientious without affecting their profit margins. Which organisations should we hold to account? What actions can we take to make it clear to those in power that we demand change?
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Climate is changing Explosive reality Approaching at speed
I love the vibrancy of this painting; I remember gasping out loud when I finished creating it. Yet it spoke to me about the emergency we are facing, the risk that we have pushed this beautiful, life-filled planet to its limit. I pray that this is not the case, that changes will be implemented and the climate emergency tackled for the good of future generations.
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We Must Take Responsibility
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We must take responsibility: not you, not them, but us, all of us – together. Together we can be a force for positive change; together we can help those in power to realise that they must change. Creator God, guide our time, words and actions to make a difference in the world, before it’s too late.
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Billions of beings Living harmoniously Giving selflessly
This painting speaks to me of the delicate balance of life in all its complexity, and the impact of human beings on that precious balance. We must reduce our impact as a species in order to sustain life on earth.
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What really matters In the greatest scheme of things It should be nature
What issues take up most of your bandwidth? How much of your attention, conversations and prayers is given to climate justice? God has tasked us to care for the earth and for all that lives upon it. How do you feel when you spend time in nature?
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Hot spots of damage Dislocated from the cause Harm beyond our sight
It can be hard to imagine the scale of deforestation around the world. We are disconnected from the damage. So I have made a concerted effort to find stories about people and places affected by climate change. Doing this has helped me to see the benefit of every positive action I take, no matter how small.
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Wild Goose Publications, the publishing house of the Iona Community established in the Celtic Christian tradition of Saint Columba, produces books, e-books, CDs and digital downloads on: l l l l l l
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